Seasons of Love
by CyXandrix
Summary: Pitch returns with a terrible new weapon, who will fall victim to his attack, and how will the others react? (I'm horrible at these) This is a BunnyFrost fic that I did recently, I had a great time writing it and decided to share it here! Takes place quite some time after the movie ends. This is a yaoi fic, that means malexmale relationships! If you don't like it, don't read it!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Jack Frost, Bunnymund or any other characters from the Rise of the Guardians universe; I just love them a lot!

The Easter Bunny stood on the balcony of Santa's Workshop, looking out over the vast white expanse of the North Pole. The cold wind whiped his fur around, the thin layer doing nothing to protect him from its biting chill. He shivered in spite of himself, he wasn't used to cold like this, his brow furrowed as he tried to remember the last time he had felt this cold. It had been just over one hundred and four years ago, just before- "No." E. Aster Bunnymund said out loud, cutting the thought off right there.

He heard the sound of the door behind him opening a moment before the voice reached him "Bunnymund, what happened?" Said the Russian accented voice of Santa as he walked over to stand next to the rabbit. With no response forthcoming North continued "You need to talk. You show up in middle of workshop, carrying an unconscious Jack who is barely clinging to life, bring him to hospital, then lock yourself here for nearly 3 hours, refusing to see anybody. Tooth and Sandy are here, we need to know what happened." He said, putting a hand on the rabbit's shoulder.

"It was my fault." Aster said his voice flat. He didn't move, or take his gaze off the blank white span of the Pole.

"What?" North said, confusion coloring his voice.

"It my bloody fault!" Aster yelled, turning to face the red clad Russian "It's my fault that-" The rabbit cut himself off, clenching his fist and hitting it against his leg. Looking closer at the rabbit Santa noticed the fur under his eye was darker, the patches unmoving in the wind, frozen in place.

"What happened old friend? Tell me so I can help." North said, has hand still on the rabbits shoulder.

Aster sagged, his expression shifting from one of stoic indifference, to one of defeat. The cold suddenly felt unbearable, and he shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

"Come on," North said "Let's get you inside and warmed up, then you tell us what happened."

Aster followed him through the doors and into the warmth of the workshop, sighing in spite of himself as the warm air rushed over him. North led him to his private workshop, sitting him down in a large chair next to the fire roaring in the fireplace. Sandy was sitting in another chair, having dozed off in the warmth of the fire, his dreams dancing above his head as he slept. Tooth was there too, fluttering several feet in the air, giving orders to the small army of fairies that followed her around at all times. Noticing their entry, Tooth stopped talking and turned to look at them, her eyes looking at Aster, questions and concern showing evenly in their reflections.

"Sandy, get up" North said as he walked over to close the door, shacking the smaller man as he passed "We're going to hear what happened to our friend Frost."

Sandy opened his eyes just in time to see Aster flinch at Norths mention of Jack. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked at the rabbit, his eyes showing concern as well. Three images flashed above his head in quick succession, Jack's staff, a hospital bed and a question mark.

"Hold your horses Sandy" North said "He will tell us when ready." Walking over to another chair by the fire, North took a seat, and Tooth fluttered over, alighting so that she was sitting on the back of Sandy's chair.

Aster took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He brought the events of that day to his mind once again, probably for the thousandth time. Slowly he began to speak, talking his friends through what had happened.

Aster felt a cold breeze nipping at his nose as his dreams faded, his mind returning to the waking world. Feeling the cold breeze again he opened his eyes, his mouth spreading into a wide grin as they met the ice blue eyes of Jack Frost. The spirit of winter was floating about a foot above Aster's bed, blowing lightly on his nose. "Jack!" He exclaimed happily, grinning up at the pale face which mirrored his own expression. Aster's Australian accent showed through even in the single word.

"Hey Bunny" Jack said as he dropped down, eliciting a muffled *oof* from the rabbit, smiling as he felt the familiar strong arms wrapping around him. He buried his face in the broad furry chest in front of him, the same large grin spread across his face. "I missed you." he whispered into the soft gray-white fur, knowing the rabbit's large ears would hear him with no problem.

"I missed you too." Aster said as he pressed his nose to the frosty white hair spiking from Jack's head like inverted icicles. His scent was clean and crisp, like a clear winter's day after a blizzard. He held the spirit to him, enjoying the closeness he felt with Jack pressed into his chest. He felt the goose bumps rising along his arms and chest, not the product of the chilly breath blowing on his chest alone. Aster pushed Jack away from him slightly, just enough to bring them face to face. He gazed into the light ice blue eyes, always glinting with a hint of playfulness, and grinned wider, chuckling slightly as he saw Jack mimic himself, his teeth flashing brightly in his broad grin. Jack leaned forward; Aster copied the motion, their lips meeting in the middle. Aster loved the feel of the winter spirit's lips against his, even after over 100 years, they still sent an icy rush through him whenever they met his.

Being the Easter Bunny, Aster was all about rebirth and new beginnings, but he had certainly never thought to find one for himself, least of all in the form of the playful, energetic, kindhearted spirit of winter. Indeed, he had been the most outspoken against Jack becoming a Guardian; of course the man in the moon had chosen him so there wasn't much arguing. He hadn't even liked Jack back then, still holding old grudges about snow-covered Easters and finding him far too irresponsible for a duty as important as being a guardian. To this day he had no idea how or why he had fallen for the winter spirit, but fallen he had, and hard. If that was a mystery to Aster, Jack's miraculous reciprocation of his feelings was even more so.

When they had first realized they had feeling for each other it had been strange, Jack was still Jack and Aster was still Aster. They had fought so often in the first decade of their relationship that North had prepared a guest room in his palace for each of them, meant for whichever of the two had stormed out in a huff that time. Their fighting came to a head on Easter day eve nine years after they first got together, when, after a large fight in which Aster told Jack he never wanted to see him again, Jack proceeded to ice over every Easter celebration in the world. They didn't speak for a year after that, despite several attempts by both North and Tooth to get them to at least talk to each other. By the end of the year Jack was feeling so guilty about what he'd done, and was missing Aster so badly that he went around and ensured each and every Easter celebration was sunny and snow free. Even before Jack's gesture, Aster had been planning to reconcile with the winter spirit. Jack had gone to Aster's Warren to wait for him, planning to apologize. When the rabbit had returned home, much later then Jack had expected him to, it was the happiest moment of Jack's life. The pair had embraced, and through many tears and hugs had agreed that they had both been idiots.

For the next twenty years the pair strove to overcome their differences and live together happily, and they succeeded after a lot of work. Jack was still a prankster, and his pranks still got on Aster's nerves, but the more he got to know Jack, the more his pranks had gone from annoying or aggravating to playful and endearing. He had learned to laugh at the younger spirits antics, and enjoy his playful nature. Jack had learned to be more calm, and when the time for a joke had passed. Somehow they made everything work, and had been happily in love for the last 74, nearly 75, years.

Pulling his head back to the present, Aster looked down at the bright face now laying on his chest. "I wasn't expectin ya back for another week at least." He said, slowly running his fingers through Jack's frosted locks.

"Aww, don't sound so disappointed." Jack said in a mock hurt voice, pushing out his bottom lip in a pout.

"Oh ya know damn well at I'm thrilled yer back." Aster said, squeezing Jack slightly for a second "It's been far too quiet around here without you."

Smiling at Aster's comment Jack said "I'll bet it has, the egglets finally getting some sleep at night?" Jack grinned as Aster's ears went back in embarrassment. "Anyway" he said, sensing no response from the rabbit forthcoming "I finished early, got the wind streams going, the clouds are all on the way to their proper places, and soon there will be snow falling all over."

"Glad to hear it." Aster said with a small grimace, not looking forward to the coming winter.

"No you're not" Jack said with a smile "You hate the cold!"

"I don't hate everything that's cold" Aster said, pulling Jack into another kiss.

"I…suppose…not" Jack said with a grin in his voice in-between kisses.

After several minutes the pair broke apart, both breathing a little harder than usual, "We should really get up and start the day." Aster said, making no move to act on his words.

"Aww, but why would we do that when it's so nice right here?" Jack said, nuzzling his face against the rabbits soft fur.

"Because" said Aster, "If we stay here then I can't give you your surprise"

He chuckled as Jack's head snapped up and he said "Surprise?"

"Yes, I've a surprise for you, and I'll give it to you if we ever get up."

"Alright," Jack said, still a bit reluctant to leave, but the lure of the unknown surprise to much for him to resist.

Pulling himself out of the bed Aster stretched, his hands nearly scraping the 15 foot ceiling. Walking over to the corner of the room he grabbed his harness and strapped it around his chest, taking his boomerangs from their hangers on the wall and holstering them.

"Come on" he said to Jack as he grabbed his hand, leading him from the room.

The pair made their way through the tunnels that made up the rabbits underground home in the Warren. Jack was floating about two feet in the air, fallowing along next to Aster, a habit he had developed in the early stages of their relationship, having grown tired of constantly looking up at the nearly 7 foot rabbit.

"So what's this surprise?" Jack asked, floating closer and draping his arms over Aster's shoulders.

"If I told you that it wouldn't be much of a surprise now would it?" Aster said playfully.

Jack grunted in response, breaking out his pouty face again.

"Oh come on," Aster said, looking at Jack "That hasn't worked in…sixty…years…fine." He conceded, his resolve failing at the pitiful look on Jack's face which immediately split into a grin at his victory "I asked North to start working on it soon as ya left, he just got it to me. I was going to do somethin elaborate when I gave it to ya…"Aster trailed off.

"I'm sure I'll love it no matter how you give it to me." Jack said as the rabbit lead him through the doorway of his tunnels and into the bright morning sun of the Warren.

"I knew I shoulda had North keep it, knew I wouldn't be able to resist giving it to ya early if I had it." Aster said, letting out a high-pitched whistle as he did so.

"Oh?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Yes," Aster said with a sheepish grin as a small egg ran up to him. Kneeling down he tickled the egg until it opened enough for him to grab something out of it. Turning to face Jack he held his closed fist out, his ears back in the embarrassed, self-conscious look that Jack thought was the cutest thing.

Jack held his hand out, palm up, for whatever Aster was holding in his paw. Jack gasped as Aster opened his paw, dropping a ring into Jacks outstretched hand. Holding the ring closer to his wide eyes Jack saw it was silver, with a heart shaped ruby set into the top of it, two star sapphire rabbit heads flanked it, glinting with the same color as Jack's eyes. "It's beautiful" Jack said, his voice slightly hushed, "but why? I mean what the occasion?"

"Read it." Aster said, pointing to the inside of the ring.

Only then did Jack notice the thin curly inscription on the inside of the ring. He read it out loud "For warming my heart these last seventy five years, I look forward to forever more. Love… E. …Aster… Bunnymund." Jack said past the lump in his throat, his voice thick with emotion. He blinked away tears as he jumped at the giant rabbit, wrapping his arms around his neck in a hug. "I love you." He said into Aster's shoulder,

"I love you too." He said, smiling at the winter spirit. "So I'll take it you like it then?"

"I love it." Jack said as he leaned in to kiss him.

The pair walked for a long time after that, Jack glancing at the ring now firmly in place on his right ring finger every few seconds. They talked as they walked through the Warren, enjoying the warm weather and each other's company. At one point Jack said "I feel guilty now. I don't have anything for you."

"Don't worry" Aster had responded, both his arm draped across Jack's shoulders and chest as they walked "It was early, it's not actually our anniversary for another two and a half months."

"I know" Jack had responded, looking at his ring again "It's just so wonderful, I feel like I should have something to give you."

"I already have everything I could ever want right here," Aster said, hugging Jack close to him.

That caused another speech impeding lump to rise is Jack's throat, so he settled himself with leaning his head back for a kiss from the rabbit, a request Aster happily obliged.

They had just reached the edge of the Warren when Aster stiffened, the hair on his neck and face sticking up slightly.

"Bunny?" Jack asked with a touch of apprehension, his eyes darting around looking for whatever the rabbit's keener scenes had picked up on.

"I'm not sure, somethin is just…off," Aster said, straining his ears to pick up anything out of place.

Jack turned around inside the rabbit's strong embrace so that he was facing Aster. He wrapped his arms around Aster, locking him in a brief embrace, and then slipped out of the rabbit's arms. "I'll go and get a better view, see if I spot anything from the sky," Jack said as he took off, letting his hand trail along Aster's face as he did so.

Aster watched Jack's progress for a brief moment, smiling at his ever present playful side, showing itself in the loops and spins he did while ascending to a good height. Tearing his eyes away from the ever shrinking form of the winter spirit, Aster focused his attention on his surroundings. Something had sent a tingle through his whiskers, and he needed to find out what. After several moments of walking and listening, having turned up nothing, Aster began to wonder if he wasn't just being paranoid. "What's wrong with you Bunnymund, jumping at your own shadow." Aster said to himself with a self-deprecating grin.

"Oh, but you never know what might be lurking within that shadow" said a soft voice, like the sound of silk rubbing against silk, right behind Aster.

The rabbit whipped around, his hands flying to his boomerangs. He was too slow. Halfway through his turn he felt an ice cold hand clamp onto his arm, the chill immediately spreading through his body and freezing him in place.

"Uh uh uh" scolded Pitch, lowering Aster to the ground, the rabbit's legs giving out beneath him as the freezing touch sapped his strength. "One would think you would be more used to the cold, shacking up with Frost all these years." He hissed as he released Aster. "What has it been now, over a century?" Pitch said, walking into Aster's line of sight "Happy belated anniversary, sorry I didn't get you anything, but I've been very busy being relegated to the shadows, cast off by the world!" Pitch shouted the last part, his face twisting into an angry scowl.

"Well I hate to think you left where ya belong on my account," Aster said, his tone displaying a lot more confidence then he felt.

"Not for much longer!" Pitch said with a vicious sneer, reaching into a pocket of his robe. "Let's see how well the children of the world get along with no Easter! And once you're gone, the others will soon follow. Then fear will cover the planet once again!"

"You've lost it Pitch," Aster said, trying to buy time. His strength was returning, but not fast enough. "You know as well as I do there's no prison in the bloody world that can hold me. How do you plan to keep me from bringin Easter?"

"Oh, I don't have any intention of capturing you; I believe it will be much more convenient to just kill you." Pitch said with an evil smirk, pulling a dagger from his robes, its blade such a pure black that its presence was only defined by its edges. "Any last words you over sized dust mop?" Pitch asked, starting toward Aster, the dagger held in front of him.

"Just one" Aster said with a grin "Duck."

Pitch's eyes widened just as Jack slammed into him at full speed. The two went flying through the air, coming to a skidding stop several yards away. Pitch wrestled himself free of the winter spirit, stumbling several feet away before glaring at Aster "Don't think you've escaped rabbit!" He said, then added with a truly evil smile "Do say goodbye to dear Frost for me." With that he sank down into the shadow of a nearby tree and was gone.

Aster felt a cold hand grip his heart at Pitch's parting words. Panic was starting to set in as Aster ran to the unmoving blue clad form lying on the ground. He arrived at Jack's side, finding him doubled over, clutching his stomach. "It hurts" He groaned as Aster knelt down, moving his arms out of the way to see the hilt of Pitch's dagger sticking out of Jack's stomach, the blade buried deep inside him.

"It's going to be ok." Aster said, seeing that the wound, while serious, wasn't fatal. He chastised himself a moment later 'we're immortal, we don't die' he thought to himself, less confidently then he would have previously. Pitch's assurance had shaken him, and it wasn't like the nightmare king to act rashly, he would have thought this plan out carefully… Aster's heart clenched as he looked at Jack's face, twisted in pain. "Come on, let's get you to North's, we'll have one of the medical yetis patch ya up."

Jack groaned as Aster went to pick him up, the movement jostling him slightly. The movement, small as it was, caused the hilt of Pitch's dagger to fall way from Jack, the blade nowhere to be found. Staring at the now bladeless hilt, Aster gently moved his hands to Jack's stomach, feeling the deep, bloody, and clearly empty wound that the missing blade had left, withdrawing his hand quickly as Jack hissed in pain.

"How bad is it?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"I don't know." Aster answered truthfully, the vanishing blade left a bad feeling in his stomach.

"Don't worry, I'll be ok," Jack said, then added with a wink "I still owe you a present."

Aster smiled in spite of himself as he knelt down and lifted Jack into his arms "I love you." He said, looking into the sharp blue eyes that had grown so dear to him.

"I love you too." Jack said, reaching his had up to cup the side of the rabbits face, wrapping his fingers through Aster's thick cheek tuffs. Continuing on Jack said "You remember the last time you carried me like this?"

Aster did remember. It had been nearly 75 years ago, on the day they considered their actual anniversary, when Jack had permanently come to live with him at the Warren. "You made me carry ya over the threshold when I brought ya back to my burrow."

"That's right," Jack said with a playful smirk "though if memory serves, you were far more interested in getting me over a different threshold."

"Let's get ya looked at." Aster said, his ears going back in embarrassment. Grinning, he tapped his foot and jumping down the hole that appeared at his feet, taking care not to jostle Jack too much.

It wasn't until they had nearly reached North's that Aster knew something was wrong. It wasn't a feeling that told him, like when Pitch had appeared. It was the simultaneous thrash and yell from the ice spirit cradles in his arms that made Aster stiffen. "Jack," he yelled "What's wrong?"

"Hurts" Just gasped out through his teeth, his face screwed up in pain.

"Don't worry, we're almost there" Aster said, doubling his speed as he sprinted down the tunnels towards North's workshop, desperate to get help for Jack.

Aster blinked his eyes against fresh tears as he finished his recollection. He had gotten up during the story and was now facing away from the other guardians, staring into the fire.

"Aster, its going-" North began but was cut off as Aster rounded on him, yelling over him.

"DON'T-" Aster stopped himself, taking a deep breath and then continued "Don't tell me it's gonna be ok." He said, taking a step toward North who took a step backwards in response "We have no idea what pitch did to Jack! Don't patronize me!"

"I'm not" said North "There was nothing you could have-"Aster cut him off again, the volume of his voice raising with each word

"He was there for ME!" Aster shouted, annunciating each word "That blade was meant for ME! Now Jack's lying in the medical ward, paying for MY mistake! I let Pitch get passed my guard! I was the one who let myself get attacked! I-" Aster stopped as he voice broke. Continuing in a whisper he said "I wasn't strong enough."

By this point he had walked passed North to face the large bay window that overlooked the Pole, his fellow guardians once again behind him. He spun around as he felt a tap on his shoulder, expecting to see North. Instead he found himself face to face with Sandy, the shorter spirit standing on a small rotating disk of sand. In his hand he held a small ball of sand, a question mark floating above his head.

"Thanks Sandy" Aster said "but I need to be awake right now."

Nodding his understanding Sandy let the ball fall and instead held his arms out wide. Aster accepted the hug, resting his chin on the small man's shoulder "Thanks Sandy" he muttered as the small man rubbed his back gently.

The silence in the room was interrupted by a knock on the door. Moving quickly North went to the door, opening it for a large Yeti who said something to him in their strange language and then departed.

"What was that about?" Aster asked, releasing Sandy and stepping towards North.

"He said they have treated Jack's wound, but he is still unconscious. We can see him now."


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Jack frost, Bunnymund or any other character from the Rise of the Guardians Universe, I just love them a lot!

Thanks to everyone who read and enjoyed the first part of the fic! I'm having a blast writing it and I'm so thrilled that people are enjoying it. This chapter was harder than I thought it would be, but I wanted to do it justice, and I like the way it turned out!

Aster sat in a small chair next to Jack's bed, staring at the winter spirit's face, which was so pale in nearly vanished into his pillow. He looked so much like he was sleeping that Aster kept expecting those ice blue eyes to pop open, that thin mouth to spread into a smile and tell everyone that he was fine and they could stop fussing over him. He wasn't sleeping though, he wasn't unconscious either. The guardians didn't have a clue what was afflicting their newest member, but the general consensus was it wasn't good. Sandy had even tried to wake Jack and been thrown across the room by some sort of backlash, he had difficulty explaining exactly what had happened, the others unable to grasp what he was trying to convey with his pictures. The other guardians were talking; discussing what to do about this latest threat from Pitch, but Aster wasn't paying them any attention, his thoughts were focused on spirit lying on the bed next to him.

It wasn't until the third or fourth time North said Aster's name that he actually realized it. Slowly he turned his head to face the others.

"What do you think we should do about Pitch? You were the one he attacked; do you think he will be coming after rest of us?" North asked once he had Aster's attention.

"What do I think? I think we should track down Pitch, take one of these daggers from him, and stab him through his shriveled black heart." Aster said in a flat tone, turning his head back to the unconscious Jack, keeping one ear turned towards his fellow guardians now.

"It does not make sense," North as saying "We are immortals, we do not get hurt, not severally anyway, we do not get sick, we certainly do not die. The worst that could happen would be fading from the minds of the world, ending up like Pitch, who is very much alive."

"Unfortunately." Aster muttered under his breath.

"Well, by the rules we don't fall in love either. If there are exceptions to that rule then maybe there are exceptions to the other rules as well." Tooth said, more as an afterthought than anything else. She glanced at Aster as she did so, and the glare he shot at he caused her to flinch and step back, as though he had struck her.

Aster turned away from them again, turning his ears away as well, working to tune out their conversation. He didn't want to think about the implications of Tooth's words. She was right though, Spirits like themselves weren't supposed to fall in love, at least not with another person. They all loved the children they brought joy, wonder and hope to, but that was different. Yet someone how he and Jack _had_ fallen in love. By some circumstance of chance, they had found something in the other that they liked, and it had grown into the most important thing in Aster's life.

Things played out in that manner for some time, the guardians trying to come up with a plan to deal with Pitch, Aster ignoring them, lost in his own thoughts as he stared into the face of the person he loved more than anything in the world. They were interrupted once again by a knock at the door.

"Come in" North said, not wanting to rise from his seat across the room. A Yeti entered the room, making several grunting noises in the general direction of North, who immediately jumped up "Thank you Phil" He said, as he turned to the other guardians. "Manny is saying something." He said, turning to walk out of the room, Sandy and Tooth at his heals.

Aster hesitated for a moment, torn between not wanting to leave Jack's side and wanting to see what the Man in the Moon had to say about the situation. Finally he decided that he needed to see if Manny had anything to say about Jack. Leaning down, he kissed Jack's forehead he whispered "Don't worry, I'll be right back," and hurried after the others.

Standing at North's control station, with the large lighted globe spinning slowly in the center of the room, he and the other guardian's waiting to hear what Manny had to say sent Aster back over a century, to the day the moon spirit had named Jack a guardian.

"It's been a long time Manny" boomed North as they gathered around the shaft of moonlight filtering through the skylight. The beam grew bright in response. "So what do you have to say to us?" North said.

The Bean of light shimmered, a shadow falling across it, casting the shape of a dagger across the floor.

"Thanks Manny, but you're a wee bit late. We know about Pitch's new weapons." Aster said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"Do you have a way to counter this new threat?" North asked

The moonbeam shifted angles, coming to rest on Sandy. The small gold clad guardian's eyes drifted shut as the moon's light reflected off the small sparkles of sand in is clothing, making him literally shimmer in the moonlight. After several moments the moonlight dimmed back to its normal glow and Sandy opened his eyes wide with excitement. He immediately brought a small ball of sand into being above his palm, closing his hands together around it like he was trying to crush it. After a few long moments Sandy opened his palms to reveal a glinting gold star, solid as stone, sitting on his palm. Running over to a nearby desk he found a string and tied star to it, creating a necklace.

"Sandy, what are you doing?" North asked as the little man ran to him and placed the necklace over his head, lifting himself up on a cloud of sand in order to reach North's head. Several images flashed above Sandy's head, but they flashed by to quickly for Aster to see them from where he was standing. "So this will protect us from these daggers?" North asked

Sandy nodded vigorously and clapped his hands happily.

Walking over, Aster grabbed the guardian of dreams by the shoulder and turned him around gently "Did he say anything about how to help Jack?"

Sandy's expression fell, his mouth dropping to a frown and his eyes growing sad. Slowly he shook his head from side to side. Aster tried and failed to keep the disappointment off his face at Sandy's response. "Well, we'll just have to-" Aster began, but stopped, stiffening. He swiveled his ears towards the hospital ward, picking up the sound of labored, gasping breaths.

"Bunnymund, what is-" was all Tooth was able to get out before Aster was sprinting full speed to Jack's bed, jumping over elves blocking his way. He arrived at Jack's bedside to find the winter spirit gasping for breath, his eyes wide open and darting around the room. They stopped when they found Aster's, the bright, ice blue irises shining as they gazed into Aster's green ones.

"It's alright," Aster said, knowing how meaningless the words were, standing there helplessly beside Jack "You're goanna be alright." He reached down and grasped Jack's hand, feeling a weak squeeze in response. Jacks mouth curved up in a small smile and he took in one last shuddering breath and let it out in a sigh, the bright twinkle fading from his eyes.

Aster stared at the lifeless eyes in front of him, unable to break his gaze, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to even think. He heard the sound of the other guardians come running into the room, heard Tooth gasp, North saying something in Russian that sounded like a curse. He heard the sounds around him, but in a detached way, as though he weren't really there, the only thing that mattered in his world were the dull, lifeless eyes staring back at him.

When he finally took a breath, it was shaky, much like the rest of him. He could feel the sadness coming, the grief threatening to rush over him like a flood, but at that moment he was too overwhelmed with shock to feel anything. As he watched, the bright blue irises started to fade, their color darkening until they were black as night. It didn't stop there, Jack's eyes darkened until there was no color left in them at all, and his body soon followed, his pale white skin darkening until it was pure black. With a sound like wind blowing through a cave entrance, the body of the spirit of winter collapsed into a cloud of black mist which quickly faded into nothingness. Tooth let out a shocked cry, North cursing again, this time louder with shock. Aster wanted to jump back, wanted to clutch at the mist, wanted to move at all, but his body refused to obey him. He felt the hand he had been holding fade away, leaving a small, hard object in his hand which he clutched without conscious thought.

Several moments passed. "Bunny?" said North cautiously.

Something inside Aster broke, the unnamed force that had held his every motion at bay vanished, and he bolted. He ran away from the room, away from the guardians, away from the bed that had, until just moments before, held the most important thing in his world. He taped his foot automatically, ducking into the rabbit hole as soon as it appeared, not caring where he ran. He pushed his body to its limit, running faster and longer than he ever had before, and still he kept running. He tried to lose himself in the action, letting the rhythmic pounding of his feet against earth drown out his thought, but no matter how hard he tried, one thought kept coming back to him. Jack Frost, the spirit of winter, the guardian of and fun and joy, his soul mate, was gone.

So what did you think? I know, you hate me! I hated me to when I wrote the ending, but it had to had to happen. Third part is already written, just being proofread, so should be out soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Jack Frost, Bunnymund or any other characters from the Rise of the Guardians universe; I just love them a lot!

Here is part three! This one probably took the most time of the 3 so far, but I feel it was worth it! Hope everyone likes it!

Aster opened his eyes blearily, reaching towards the opposite side of his bed automatically, feeling the familiar pang in his chest when he found it empty. It had been a month, to the day, since Jack had died, and Aster still forgot sometimes. When he woke up, when he felt a chilly breeze blowing against his neck, when he was walking in the Warren alone. He always expected to turn and see the playful eyes looking back at him, and when he didn't, it hits him like a hammer blow every time. He got up and put his harness on automatically, grabbing a carrot to munch on as he left the burrow.

Sitting on his doorstep was a neatly rolled scroll bound with bright red ribbon. Opening it he read out loud "Dear Bunny, if you have some free time today, please come visit me at the Pole, Sincerely, North." "Must be important seeing as Christmas is only a few days away" Bunny thought as he rolled the scroll back up and tucked it in a pouch on his harness. "Why not" he thought to himself and tapped his foot against the ground, taking a leisurely walk through the tunnels to North's workshop, trying in vain not to think of that last time he had made this trip. He could still feel the small body cradled in his arms, hear the labored breathing, the shouts and feeling Jack spasming in his arms. Aster stopped himself when he realized he was beginning to hyperventilate. He slowed his breathing, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. Once his breathing settled, he continued on, making it to North's Castle like workshop shortly after, popping up in the middle of his private study.

"Bunny!" North exclaimed in surprise as the nine foot rabbit appeared just a few feet in front of him.

"North" Aster said, looking at the smiling face of the jolly guardian.

"Glad you could make it, I was worried you would not be able to." North said, putting down the small device he was working on and motioning for Aster to take a seat in one of the chairs by his desk.

"Seemed important." Aster replied, his tone indifferent.

"It is, please sit" North said, again gesturing to the chairs across his desk, settling into the large one behind it himself. He only continued after Aster had taken a seat, albeit reluctantly. "Bunny…it has been a month" North started, and Aster was on his feet instantly, walking towards the door. 'Bunny please!" North shouted, starting to rise himself, continuing when he saw Aster stop, still facing the door. "We are worried about you, me, Tooth and Sandy. We all miss him Bunny, but-"

Aster cut North off, his voice as cold as ice as he said "Don't you dare pretend to understand how I feel. You can't possibly know what it's like to be with someone for a HUNDRED YEARS, and then have them taken from you in an instant. To stand there and be HELPLESS as they fade away! To know that it's YOUR fault that they're gone!" Aster was yelling now, shouting at North, letting all the pent up anger from the last month flow out of him. "You sit there, telling me it's been a month! You don't think I know that? You don't think I wake up every morning and realize that today is another day without him! Oh, but it's been a month, that's more than enough time to get over the loss of a mate that's been with you for the last CENTURY! You don't have any idea what it's like to-" Aster stopped as his voice broke, he took a deep breath to regain his composure before he continued "To be holding the hand of the person you love more than anything while they fade away, to feel them slip through your fingers…"

"No." North said, cutting in before Aster could continue "You are right, I cannot pretend to understand pain you are going through. I cannot know how it feels to lose someone in the way you have. And no, month is not enough time to be over someone so importent, lifetime may not be enough time. But it is enough time to start to try." Aster looked at North warily, confusion painted on his face. "You are not even trying to live Bunny. You are going through motions, trudging through day for no other reason than it is there. You think this is how Jack would wish you to live? NO!" Aster flinched at both North's accusation and his use of Jack's name. "You are doing dishonor to his memory with your actions, and it is time you started trying." North finished.

Aster stared at him for a long moment, then sank into the chair, burying his face in his hands. North was right he knew, he hadn't been living his life, he had shut down, unwilling to face the pain going on that would entail. "Your right" He said, drawing in a shaky breath, choking back a sob. "Your right, he...Jack" Aster forced himself to say the name "Wouldn't let me hear the end of it if he could see me right now."

"No he would not" North agreed. "I think he would tell you that he wanted for you to be happy," North said, coming over to lay his hand on Aster's shoulder "I think he would tell you that he wants you to go on...and I think he would tell you that he loves you."

"Thank you" Aster said "I think your right."

Blinking away tears, Aster grabbed the silver chain he wore around his neck, feeling along it until his fingers closed around the cool loop of metal. Pulling the ring away from his chest, he stared at it, the words "forever more" seeming to mock him. He wasn't seeing the ring however; he was seeing the expression on Jack's face when Aster had given it to him. "I'm sorry. I'll do better." He whispered too softly for even his hypersensitive ears barely heard it.

Seeing what Aster was looking at, North smiled slightly "Did he like it?" He asked softly.

"He loved it" Aster croaked, his voice barely more than a whisper it had just been.

"That reminds me, I have something for you." North said, going to rummage through the many draws set into the wall.

"I'm not really in the mood North" Aster said, rubbing his eyes with the back of his paw.

"Trust me." North said "You will like this." He handed Aster a thin box, unwrapped which was unlike North.

Opening it warily Aster pulled out a thin sheet of what felt like glass, at least through the tissue paper that surrounded it. Unwrapping it, Aster gasped, his breath caught in his throat. He was holding a thin sheet of glass about the size of his outstretched hand. Set in the plate was a giant snowflake, preserved within its protective shell. The snowflake was beautiful, its intricate twists and curves forming hearts of all sizes. The center of the flake showed his own head and shoulders, along with Jack's head. Jack was clearly leaning against him as he rested his cheek on the winter spirits head. Along the edge, in curly while letter, was written Everything I am and will be is yours, forever. Love Jack Frost. Aster stared at the piece for what seemed like hours, taking in every aspect of it. Finally he looked up at North "How?" he managed to get past the lump in his throat.

"He stopped here on his way to bring winter and asked me to help make that. He seemed quite pleased with it. He asked me to keep for him, he said-"

Aster cut him off, finishing the sentence himself "He wouldn't be able to resist giving it to me early if he had it." Letting out a very small chuckle.

"I believe he would want you to have it." North said, walking over and patting the rabbit on the back.

"Thank you." Aster said, holding the thin sheet of glass close to him.

"Glad to help old friend, If you need anything, you know where to find me." North said with a smile "Now, go! Live, or at least try. Now, I have Christmas to bring in a few days!" North said with a hearty chuckle, giving Aster a one-armed hug.

Returning the hug, Aster made his way to an empty area of floor and taped his foot, hopping down the newly formed rabbit hole. He wandered the maze of tunnels for quite some time, trying to decide where to go. North had been right. He needed to start living his life, for Jack's memory if nothing else. That gave him an idea which, after some thought, brought a small smile to his face.

He walked the familiar path slowly, thinking about all the times he had spent with Jack, remembering every prank, every fight, every reconciliation, every intimate moment. By the time he reached his destination, his feet leaving the dirt of his tunnels, stepping onto soft grass instead, he was smiling, his first true smile in a month.

Looking around, his smile was replaced by a more solemn expression. He was standing at the edge of a pond...Jack's pond. He had come here many times in the past, usually looking for Jack to make up after some fight they'd had. He half expected to see him now, sitting in one of the trees or gracefully skatting on the pond. The trees were empty however, and the pond wasn't frozen. Indeed, there was no snow to be seen, the air cool, but not cold, certainly too warm for the middle of winter. Aster wasn't the only one who was suffering from the loss of the winter spirit. The entire world was going without winter.

Aster stepped to the edge of the lake, his large feet dangling over the bank almost touching the water. He stood there for a very long time, thinking about Jack, and thinking about his life looking forward, his life without Jack. He didn't think he would be happy again, certainly not in the same way he had been with Jack, but he could go on, and he could make the best of things. He heard a shuffling behind him, but ignored it, anyone out and about this time of day would be too old to believe in, and therefore see him.

"Unusually mild winter this year" Said a voice behind him.

Aster turned around to see an old man walking toward him with the use of a cane. He was wearing a leather coat and had on a ball cap that hid most if his thin white hair. "Jamie" Aster said, surprised to see him out and about. Jamie was one of the few adults that still believed in him, along with North, Tooth, Sandy and Jack. He had been the first person to actually see Jack, and the two of them had stayed close throughout the years.

"It's been a while Aster." Jamie said. He was one of the few people that ever called Aster by his first name.

"Glad to see you're still kicking." Aster said "You're what now, hundred and nine?"

"Wonders of modern medicine" Jamie said with a wink. "So what's happened to Jack?" Jamie asked matter o' factly.

"How..." Aster started, his voice trailing off as he stared at the man in front of him.

"Well, first off, Jack always comes to visit at the start of winter, which he didn't do this year. Second, its 58 degrees out, in the middle of December. And C, you look like someone canceled Easter, outlawed eggs hunts and made greyhound racing an Olympic sport all in the same day."

"Jack...isn't with us anymore" Aster said, unable to make himself say the word 'died'.

Jamie's eyes grew sad as he looked at Aster' s, a touch of pity showing in them as well. "That's sad to hear. Jack was a kind soul and an amazing person, the world is certainly worse off without him."

Unable to articulate a response Aster just nodded.

"How about you, how are you holding up?" He asked the rabbit, shuffling forward so he was standing next to the towering guardian.

"I feel...lost without him." Aster said, finally able to put words to his feelings "Like I don't know where I'm goin, what I'm doin."

Jamie patted the Rabbits elbow; it being the highest part of the rabbit he could comfortably reach. "He loved you a lot you know."

"I know." Aster said, and then added as an afterthought "I'm surprised you do though, I didn't know he talked to you about us?"

"Who do you think he would fly off and complain to every time you to get into a fight? And then when you finally got over your overinflated egos long enough to realize that you were perfect for one another and it shifted from "Bunny is such an ass" to "Oh, Aster did the sweetest thing." Got downright annoying, I wasn't sure if I preferred you two fighting or love struck, at least some of the fight stories were funny."

Aster looked down at the hunched old man, shocked until he saw Jamie looking back, a playful twinkle in his eye...the same twinkle Jack's eyes always had, and he couldn't help but laugh.

His mirth subsiding Aster looked out over the pond "I just miss him, ya know?"

"That I do, that I do" Jamie said, then turned to face the rabbit, tugging on his fur to get him to kneel down so they were face to face. "Let me tell you something I learned a long time ago. Just because Jack isn't here with us anymore" he said, gesturing to the general area around them "doesn't mean he's gone. He will always be here" he said, pointing a finger to Aster's heart sat in his chest "and I'd wager you've got a bit more of him in here than anyone else. Do you know where I heard that?" Jamie asked.

"Jack" Aster replied, remembering the moment clearly.

"That's right, just after you all beat Pitch he told me that. I took it to heart, and now it's time you did to."

"I never thought you'd be one for the whole wise old man shtick" Aster said to Jamie with a small chuckle.

"Did I say something wise? Well, I suppose I can't be the crazy old man who still believes in Santa Clause all the time eh?" Jamie said with a wink. "You should stop by my house soon, we can exchange stories about him, and you can meet my grandkids. Maybe they'll see you and stop thinking Gramps is quite so crazy."

"I would like that a lot" Aster said honestly. Besides himself, Jamie probably knew Jack better than anyone, and he would enjoy remembering the good times

"Don't be too long" Jamie said, starting to turn back toward the town "I know a years or two isn't that long when your immortal, but when you're a hundred and eleven, every minute counts!" Jamie laughed at his own joke and began walking towards town.

Aster watched Jamie walking away, thinking about what he had said. Jamie was right...Jack was right. As long as he kept his memory alive, Aster would never truly be without the playful winter spirit. He removed the chain from his neck, unfastening it so he could remove Jack's ring. He held the small silver loop in his hand for a long moment, then brought it to his lips and kissed is lightly, whispered "I love you" and tossed the ring into the center of the pond. Aster stood there, watching until the very last ripple had dissipated and the surface of the pond was once again smooth as glass. Then he turned, feeling more at peace then he had since Jack's death, and tapped his foot softly.

Aster was about to jump down the rabbit hole when he stiffened, the oh-so familiar sound of rapidly freezing water stopping him in his tracks.

There ya go! Part 3 all done! I hope everyone liked it, part 4 will probably be a little longer, since I haven't actually finished it yet, but I hope to have it posted by the end of the weekend.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Jack Frost, Bunnymund or any other character in the Rise of the Guardians universe, I just love them a lot!

Well, here it is, the last part! Enjoy!

Aster spun around, his eyes growing wider as he saw a patch of ice in the middle of the pond, slowly expanding outward. Aster stared at the slowly spreading sheet of ice, not sure what to make of it. At first his heart had jumped, the impossible thought that it was Jack bubbling up within him until he tamped it down. Wild hoped wasn't going to do anything, that fact had made itself abundantly clear over the last month. So Aster sat on the bank, content to watch the slow progress of the ice as it took over the pond.

Aster had been sitting there for nearly an hour, the ice having just covered the entirety of the pond when he saw something that caused him to do a double take. There, in the middle of the pond, was a dark shape, a dark blur just visible through the ice. 'You're just being hopeful again' Aster told himself as a flicker of that impossible hope flared in his chest for a brief moment. Still, he kept his eyes on the shape for several more minutes, watching as it slowly grew more defined. It was long and rather thing, with a shorter, slender protrusion on either side. "It's just a log" Aster told himself, not letting him get swept away by fantasies. He was better that day then he had been, but he knew his new mindset was still fragile, and if he let himself hope, and that hope turned out to be false, he knew he would fall back into the despair that had gripped him for the last month.

He turned to leave, intending to stop by his Warren for some presents and then go visit Jamie and his grandkids, when his eyes fell upon something that made him freeze. There, lying on the ground was Jack's staff. "No" Aster said to himself "it's a stick. A stick that just happens to look like Jack's staffs…a lot like Jack's staff…" Aster walked over and picked up the length of wood. It was cold to the touch, the wood twisted and grooved, the C shaped hook at the top curved at just the correct angle… "Am I going crazy?" Aster asked himself, the irony of asking himself that question wasn't lost on him. "Think it's time to go home Bunny" Aster whispered to himself as he turned back towards the pond, looking for a clear place to open a tunnel. He went to throw the stick back into the forest, but couldn't bring himself to let go of the unusually cold wood.

Looking back at the shape under the ice, he saw how it had changed, no longer black and shapeless, it was now rather pale, stark against the dark water. It now very clearly had the shape of a human body. "Well, if I'm going off my nutter might as well go all the way." Aster said, and took a careful step out onto the ice. It held, the cold clear sheet not even cracking as he took another cautions step, and another. As he neared the center of the pond, the pale shape seemed to sink, always staying just too far away for him to see clearly. By the time he reached the center of the pond the shape was nowhere to be found. "Well, I've officially lost it" Aster said out loud, sitting down on the ice. He had imagined the shape under the ice, his mind had played a trick on him, a horrible, painful trick that played off the hopes he wouldn't allow his conscious mind to have. He leaned back, placing his paws on the ice behind him and let out a sigh. The sound of his sigh was drowned out by a sharp crack as the ice underneath him gave way, plunging the rabbit into the freezing water below it.

Aster gasped, or tried to, the icy water clutching his chest, making it difficult to move. He kicked out, his large feet propelling him forward like a pair of diver's flippers. He made for the surface, his lungs already burning from a lack of air, kicking faster as he got closer. He was nearly there, preparing to fill his lungs, when his head smashed into a thick layer of ice. Aster blinked, lights popping before his eyes as he struggled to recover from the collision. He felt himself sinking and knew he wouldn't be able to make it to the surface. The last thing E. Aster Bunnymund remembered seeing was the pale white face of the person he loved, those ice blue eyes looking into his, wide and shining.

The first thing Aster became aware of what that he was cold, extremely cold, every inch of his body felt like it had had the heat sucked clean from it, leaving ice in its place. The second was that he was wet…very wet. The third was a burning in his throat and to a slightly lesser extent, his lungs. He was alive, and lying on his back he thought, and he was incredibly tired. Every muscle in his body ached, refusing to move no matter how much Aster asked them. After some time he became vaguely aware of someone calling his name and with an incredible effort he opened his eyes, a pair of bright ice blue eyes stared back at him for just a moment before his eyes lost focus, everything going blurry as his head spun.

"So I am dead then" he said, more to himself than anyone else.

"You're not dead you giant fuzz ball, though you gave it your best shot. What were you doing taking a mid-winter's swim?"

Aster's brain was fuzzy, taking longer than usual to process what was happening. "I thought I saw something in the pond…" He said, his head swimming, his eyes still trying to focus. He blinked several times, his eyes once again coming to focus on the bright blue irises looking at him, showing concern and another emotion Aster couldn't quite place. Excitement? Joy? No…playfulness, an underlying sense of playfulness!

With a start Aster's brain caught up with what was going on, his eyes focused and took in the ice blue eyes, the pale face, a slight frown of concern showing on the thin mouth, the white hair, slick and wet. "JACK!" He exclaimed jolting upright and groaning as a wave of vertigo washed over him.

"Whoa Bunny, take it easy" Jack exclaimed, moving to force Aster back down, but not needing to as he fell back on his own.

"But your…When did…but where…how?" Aster stammered, unable to form words through the complete shock and disbelief filling his mind.

"Shhh, I'll explain everything in a minute, just calm down." Jack said, rubbing his hand down Aster's face, threading his fingers through the rabbits soaked fur.

That touch, that very real touch, the solid, unmistakably real ringers running through his fur sent a shiver through Aster. Until that moment he hadn't let himself believe, truly believe, that what he saw was real. Now, with the confirmation of Jack's touch, he slowly lifted himself into a sitting position, reaching out as he did so, brushing his fingers along Jack's smooth cheek.

"Jack…" He whispered, and then he was grabbing the smaller spirit, pulling him into his arms, holding him close. "It's really you" Aster cried, tears running into his fur, mixing with the cold water from the pond.

"It's really me" Jack agreed, his own voice thick with emotion. He returned Aster's embrace, burying his face in the sopping wet fur of the rabbit's chest. He could feel Aster's entire frame shake as he sobbed, his heart beating fast and loud against Jack's ear.

"I thought you were gone…I thought I'd lost you." Aster whispered as he bent his head down, burying it in the crook of Jack's neck.

"I know bunny" Jack said, rubbing his hand up and down the rabbit's side, blinking away tears from his own eyes "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Aster asked, his voice shaky "It was my fault."

At that Jack grabbed the rabbit's chin, turning his head until they were face to face. In as serious a voice as he could muster Jack said "Hey, don't you blame yourself for what happened. I was the one who went in like that. I didn't wait to see what the situation was…"Jack hesitated then continued "I just saw you in danger and acted, just like you would have."

Aster wanted to protest, to point out that if he hadn't let pitch get to him in the first place Jack wouldn't have had to act. But he didn't want to argue with the winter spirit, his heart was singing in his chest far too loudly for that. Besides, Jack was right about one thing, he would have done the same thing if it had been Jack in danger. Aster was finding it much easier to think rationally with Jack wrapped very firmly in his arms.

"Alright Frostbite" Aster said, using the old nickname with a small smile.

Jack smiled at Aster and pulled the rabbit into a long and passionate kiss.

The pair sat there for a long time, Jack sitting in Aster's lap, Aster holding Jack close to his chest, both gently caressing the other. Finally the cold started to get to Aster, being in the freezing water and sitting nearly still with his fur soaking wet had sapped most of the warmth from him. "We need to get you warmed up." Jack said, feeling the large rabbit shaking.

"I'm fine" Aster protested, not wanting to move, scared that if he left this moment would end, and it would turn out to just be a dream.

"Bunny, you feel cold." Jack said sternly

"I told you I'm-" Aster began to protest again, but Jack cut him off.

"You feel cold, TO ME." raising his eyebrows seriously.

"Fine" Aster said, still reluctant to move.

Slowly the pair got up, a process made slightly difficult by Aster's refusal to let go of Jack.

"You know you're going to have to let me go some time." He had said in a playful tone.

"I know, just…not yet, not so soon" Aster said, the pain in his voice causing any protests Jack had to die in his throat.

"Have you seen my staff?" Jack asked, glancing around.

"I had it" Aster said, trying to remember what had happened to the gnarled piece of wood. His reunion with Jack had driven everything else out of his mind. "I had it with me when I went out onto the ice, I most have dropped it when I fell in."

"I have to go get it" Jack said, looking down at Aster's arms, draped protectively around his shoulders. Seeing the reluctance in his eyes, Jack spun around and pulled the giant rabbits head down to his level "I will be right back" he said, annunciating each word "I promise."

After a small hesitation Aster nodded his head, saying "Alright."

Jack smiled at the rabbit and gave him another quick kiss before walking to the water's edge, Aster right behind him. He slipped out of his cloth's not wanting to get them wet again, making a show of it for Aster's sake. Aster smiled in spite of himself at Jack's antics, wondering at the perfection of his body as he quickly ran to the center of the pond where the ice was broken open still. Looking back and smiling at Aster one more time, Jack dove into the water. Aster felt panic begin to rise in his chest the moment the winter spirit vanished from his sight. He slowed his breathing, telling himself how silly he was being. He still couldn't help the rush of relief that surged through him when, several long moments later, Jack's head broke the surface, his spiky white hair plastered to his head. He met the soaked guardian at the shoreline with a hug, pressing his still wet form to himself.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked, sounding concerned "Your breathing really fast."

"Well can you blame me? Walking around naked like that" Aster said with a smile, deflecting Jack's question.

"I suppose not" Jack said with a grin, but the look in his eyes told Aster that he hadn't been fooled by the rabbit's misdirect.

Aster released Jack to let him get dressed, rubbing his paw along Jacks arm, or pressing himself against his side, unwilling to break contact with him for long.

Finally ready to leave Jack looked up at Aster who was currently draping one arm around his shoulders "Come one, let's get you some place warm."

Scooping Jack up in his arm Aster said "Let's go tell everyone the amazing news." As much as he wanted Jack to himself at that moment, he felt the others needed to know what had happened, hell, he needed to know what had happened, not that he really cared at this point. Tapping his foot Aster brought forth a rabbit hole, hopping down, the pair enjoyed a leisurely walk to North's Content with the knowledge that they were together again.

"So, apparently Pitch found a way to condense unbelief, and used that to make the dagger. When he stabbed me with it I was overwhelmed with the unbelief and faded away, like one of you if every child in the world stopped believing. But since there are people that still believed in me, I reformed. At least that's how Manny explained it to me." Jack explained to the other guardian's sitting in North's study. Tooth and Sandy were sitting on either end of a large couch, North standing near them, close to the fireplace. Across from them, right next to the fireplace Aster sat on a very comfortable chair, and Jack sat on a very comfortable Aster, the rabbit still unwilling to let go of Jack for more than a few moments.

When they had arrived at North's workshop, there had been a lot of hugging, a fair amount of crying from Tooth, and so many questions that Aster finally had to tell the others to shut up and let Jack explain. Now they sat, discussing their next move against Pitch. Neither Jack nor Aster were paying attention, far to absorbed in one another and their mumbled conversations. Finally, after the 4th time North had to yell to get their attentions he said "You to look tired, why don't you go and rest. We will continue this in morning."

"Alright" Aster said, not complaining at the chance to get away.

Jack got up, walking over to hug Tooth, Sandy and North in turn. Wishing them all goodnight the pair made their way to one of North's guest rooms where a large fire already burned, casting warm shadows around the room. Ignoring the bed for the time being the couple walked over to the large armchair next to the fire. Aster took a seat and Jack hoped in his lap, immediately resting his head against Aster's chest.

"I missed you," Aster said, wrapping his arms around Jack.

"I missed you too." Jack said, nuzzling his face into the rabbits soft and pleasantly water free fur. "So North gave you my gift early then huh?" Jack said, looking up at the rabbits face.

"Ya, it's gorgeous, I love it." Aster said smiling down at Jack.

"I'm glad, though I guess it's more of a 'Sorry you thought I was dead' present" Jack said with a smirk.

"Not funny." Aster said in a serious voice.

"No, it's not. I'm sorry." Jack said "Still though, now I have to get you something else."

"I've got all I could ever want or need right here." He said, squeezing Jack against his broad chest.

Jack laughed at that, leaning up and kissed the rabbit.

Jack's ill-humored joke had brought several thoughts back to Aster's mind. "So now that we know what we're up against, what should we do about Pitch?" Aster asked his face serious.

"Forget about him for now, you're here, I'm here, what else is there to worry about?" Jack said, rubbing a hand through the thick fur on Aster's neck and cheek.

"Nothing" Aster answered, leaning down to kiss Jack. And as easy as that, the rest of the world faded away. Pitch would be dealt with soon enough, Aster would make sure of that, and life would go on, and he would be with Jack for the foreseeable eternity. He looked into those bright ice blue eyes, dancing with life and joy, the ever present shine of mischief glimmering within them and smiled. Leaning down he kissed Jack Frost, the spirit of winter, guardian of fun and joy, and his soul mate.

Well there you are the last chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thanks to everyone who commented on my stories, read them and liked them! As always all feedback is welcome


	5. Author's Note

**READ THIS FIRST!**

Hey all! So I realize that I have a lot of stories at this point, with no real indication as to the order they come in! With that in mind I decided to put up this with the order the stores are meant to be read in. (This is the order they were released and are intended to be read in, not the in which that actually occur in the world).

1. Seasons of Love (Complete)  
a. Shadow's of Love (Season's of Love written from Jack's perspective) (In-Progress)  
2. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional (Complete)  
3. Tooth and Claw (Complete)  
3. Down the Rabbit Hole (Complete)  
a. Wonderland (Companion piece to Down the Rabbit Hole) (Complete)  
4. To be a Guardian (Complete)  
5. Down Time (Complete)  
6. Spring (In Progress)  
7. Civil War (Working Title - To be Released)

I will be updating this as more things come out/change.

I want to thank everyone who reads, enjoys, favorites and comments on my writing, it means so much to know people actually like the ramblings I call stories


End file.
